Light Force Ministries

Dipped Incense Sticks

Village Cycles, The Seasonal Cycle, The Thai Villagers Life Part 3

Shortly after transplanting is completed, the annual monsoons arrive to inundate farmland. Daily rainfall replenishes the fields and much of the family's time becomes occupied with Rains Retreat observances.

During the annual three-month Rains Retreat (Phansa in Thai), Buddhist monks are committed to remaining in their monasteries overnight. The tradition predates Buddhism. In ancient India, all holy men, mendicants and sages spent three months of the annual rainy season in permanent dwellings. They avoided unnecessary travel during the period when crops were still new for fear they might accidentally tread on young plants.

In deference to popular opinion, the Buddha decreed that his followers should also abide by this ancient tradition. This initiated a move away from an itinerant life to a more or less settled existence as the advantages of communal living became apparent. Similar monasteries were founded in other countries where Buddhism became established.

Phansa represents a time of renewed spiritual vigour. The monk meditates more, studies more and teaches more. Laymen, too, traditionally endeavour to be more conscientious, perhaps abstaining from liquor and cigarettes and giving extra financial and physical support to their local temples. Phansa is also customarily the season for temporary ordinations. Young men enter the monkhood for spiritual training, to gain merit for themselves and their parents, and to conform to the widespread feeling that a man who has not been a monk cannot be considered a mature adult. In some areas, a man who has never been a monk is avoided by marriageable girls, who regard him as a khon dip, or an 'unripe person'.

The Buddhist ordination is a mixture of religious solemnity, merit-making and boisterous celebration reflecting a Thai belief that the three most important events of a man's life are his birth, his ordination and his marriage. The ordination ritual itself evolved over 2,500 years ago during the Buddha's life as the Sangha (the Buddhist monastic order) took form and has changed little to this day. Socially, the ordination is something in which the entire village participates. Village monks comprise the presiding chapter and preceptors. Villagers gain merit by accompanying the tonsured, white-robed candidate for monkhood (known as naag) in a colourful procession to the temple. Small children join the procession which is often marked by joyous dancing and the heady throb of long drums.

Symbolism permeates every aspect of the ordination ceremony. The naag's white robe connotes purity; the royal umbrella held over his head before he enters the chapel reminds participants of the royal heritage Prince Siddhartha Gautama renounced during his spiritual quest to become Buddha. The naag leads the villagers in a triple circumambulation of the temple chapel to evoke the Buddhist Triple Gem-the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha (the Teacher, the Teaching and the Taught).

The naag carries, in an attitude of worship, an incense stick, flower and candle 'bouquet'. The candle stands for the transitoriness of light (life); the incense symbolizes pure life's fragrance; and the flower is a reminder of the impermanence of beauty.

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Why should I dip incense sticks in water....?

Just a quick, hopefully simple, question:

I love incense and buy it all the time. Normally, I buy the sticks. I've been burning incense sticks for several years now.

Anyway, I recently bought a pack of sticks at a local convenience store up the road from me and the clerk, (a sweet little old Asian woman), advised me to dip the incense stick in water before lighting it.

Even though I've never heard of doing such a thing, I decided to try it. I don't really see much difference between lighting a dry stick and lighting a wet stick. There seems to be just a little more smoke wet, though. Maybe that's the reason?

I hope it's pretty obvious what my question is: "Why should I dip my incense sticks in water before lighting them?" (What will it do? Etc...)

Thank you for your time, all of you!

~Ami aka Skayda

The only thing that I can think of, is that the wet incense sticks will burn slower than the dry sticks.

Fresh Linen - Incense King - 15 Sticks $1.95 Package of 15 grams, which is about 13 to 15 sticks of incense. A fragrance of freshly cleaned linen drying in a summer breeze.Incense King incense is made using fine quality aromatic oils that result in strong, long lasting fragrances....

Caribbean Cannabis - New Age Incense - 16 Sticks $2.95 Packet of 16 sticks. "A blend of ancient age with the scents of New Age to rejuvenate your life". Cruelty free, high quality hand dipped incense made in the U.S. from cosmetic grade essential oils....

Baking Brownies - 100 Wildberry Incense Sticks $14.95 Package of 100 11-inch sticks of the famous Wildberry incense. Wildberry incense has been lovingly hand-made since 1971. It is made from proprietary formulas using ony the finest ingredients....

Wildberry Special Blend 22 Stick Incense - 100 Count $16.95 Blend 22 was inspired by the combination of fragrances experienced, when one entered the original Wildberry gift shop. By carefully mixing an array of their most popular incense fragrances, they were able to create this best selling blend. For someone new to incense, or for a long time fan of Wildberry products, this is an excellent choice....

Lhasa Sandalwood Incense, 200 Sticks $16.51 Features of the Lhasa Sandalwood Incense: Fine quality incense sticks with a light sandalwood fragrance for lighting loose moxa or indirect stick-on moxa. Thin, 5" long x 0.1" dia. Includes small porcelain incense holder.

Lhasa Seiun Smokeless Incense, 180 Sticks $17.63 Features of the Lhasa Seiun Smokeless Incense: Fine quality incense sticks with a mild chrysanthemum fragrance for lighting loose moxa or indirect stick-on moxa. 5.5" long x 0.1" dia. Seiun incense has a higher concentration of charcoal than other incense, so the stick burns at a hotter temperature with less smoke.

Incense Classic Sampler 10 Sticks $2.99 Incense Classic SamplerBlue PearlClassic champa sampler & moreExperience the unique varieties of our champa and sandalwoodincenses. Plus all the floral, woody, spicy and grassyvarieties from the 20 gram collectionClassic Imported incenseBe transported by incredible & pure handmade fragrances10 sticks.

Incense Whiteflower 100 Pc $7 Incense WhiteflowerYakshi incense is hand-dipped in their own fragrances. This incense has a milder, softer, more perfume-like fragrance than the acrid smell of other brands. .

Incense Pikake 100 Pc $7 Incense PikakeYakshi incense is hand-dipped in their own fragrances. This incense has a milder, softer, more perfume-like fragrance than the acrid smell of other brands. .

Incense Bible $70.48 Make a spiritual connection to nature with real, raw, natural incense The Incense Bible is a comprehensive guide to the spiritual meaning of real, raw, natural incense and how to use it in prayer, meditation, or simply in creating a home environment to "reconnect" with divinity and nature. This unique book examines the spiritual and ritual uses of "pure" incense (not sticks, cones, or synthetic mixtures), explores our attraction to it, and explains how we can use it at home to increase wellness. Filled with easy-to-use references and easy-to-understand technical information, the book also looks at the use of incense in health and medicine, a history of its use in a variety of countries and cultures, and various types of raw incense, including eucalyptus, sandalwood, sweet grass, agarwood, frankincense, and myrrh. The Incense Bible examines aspects of spirituality and religion, health and medicine, botanical medicines, ethnobotany, and history of real incense--not the low-quality, processed, synthetic fragrances most people think of as "incense." This enlightening and entertaining book, written in everyday language and filled with photgraphs, examines why incense appeals to our sense of smell, of adventure, and of spiritual and physical well-being--and has for centuries. The book looks at the use of incense for purifications and cleansings, creative inspiration, meditation, worship and prayer, for inducing dreams and sleep, to improve learning and problem solving, and as a perfume for clothes, hair, and body. Topics examined in The Incense Bible include: types of raw incense, including balsam, cedar, mugwort and moxa, and white sage safety how the sense of smell works the link between taste and scent scent and memory allergies and sensitivities oils and flower essences for healing how to make incense incense materials and symbols the use of incense in Egyptian, Greek, and Roman times, in Buddhism and Shamanism, in Israel, in the Catholic Church, in Native American sweat lodges, and in the African rainforest and much more! The Incense Bible is an essential resource for anyone interested in health and natural medicine, botanical medicines, and ethnobotany, and for anyone seeking to express their spirituality by reconnecting to nature

The Incense Bible $25.48 Make a spiritual connection to nature with real, raw, natural incense The Incense Bible is a comprehensive guide to the spiritual meaning of real, raw, natural incense and how to use it in prayer, meditation, or simply in creating a home environment to "reconnect" with divinity and nature. This unique book examines the spiritual and ritual uses of "pure" incense (not sticks, cones, or synthetic mixtures), explores our attraction to it, and explains how we can use it at home to increase wellness. Filled with easy-to-use references and easy-to-understand technical information, the book also looks at the use of incense in health and medicine, a history of its use in a variety of countries and cultures, and various types of raw incense, including eucalyptus, sandalwood, sweet grass, agarwood, frankincense, and myrrh. The Incense Bible examines aspects of spirituality and religion, health and medicine, botanical medicines, ethnobotany, and history of real incense--not the low-quality, processed, synthetic fragrances most people think of as "incense." This enlightening and entertaining book, written in everyday language and filled with photgraphs, examines why incense appeals to our sense of smell, of adventure, and of spiritual and physical well-being--and has for centuries. The book looks at the use of incense for purifications and cleansings, creative inspiration, meditation, worship and prayer, for inducing dreams and sleep, to improve learning and problem solving, and as a perfume for clothes, hair, and body. Topics examined in The Incense Bible include: types of raw incense, including balsam, cedar, mugwort and moxa, and white sage safety how the sense of smell works the link between taste and scent scent and memory allergies and sensitivities oils and flower essences for healing how to make incense incense materials and symbols the use of incense in Egyptian, Greek, and Roman times, in Buddhism and Shamanism, in Israel, in the Catholic Church, in Native American sweat lodges, and in the African rainforest and much more! The Incense Bible is an essential resource for anyone interested in health and natural medicine, botanical medicines, and ethnobotany, and for anyone seeking to express their spirituality by reconnecting to nature

Sandal Incense By Yakshi - 100 Pieces $7 Yakshi incense is hand - dipped in their own fragrances. This incense has a milder, softer, more perfume - like fragrance than the acrid smell of other brands.

Oasis Incense By Yakshi - 100 Pieces $7 Yakshi incense is hand - dipped in their own fragrances. This incense has a milder, softer, more perfume - like fragrance than the acrid smell of other brands.

Pikake Incense By Yakshi - 100 Pieces $7 Yakshi incense is hand - dipped in their own fragrances. This incense has a milder, softer, more perfume - like fragrance than the acrid smell of other brands.